poetry
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Mick Imlah, Kathryn Simmonds and Don Paterson. No real surprise on the main Forward prize and possibly not an enormous surprise on the best poem prize, but Kathyrn Simmonds’s win in the best first collection category seems to have been unexpected. To be honest, I can’t really comment, not having read any of the winners…
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I love the work of Michael Symmons Roberts. He’s one of the finest writers in Britain at the moment and quite possibly the best religious poet we have. This year, he has published two books: his second novel, Breath, and his fifth collection of poems, The Half-Healed. Both fine books, of which I intend to…
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Details for the St Andrew’s reading are just in: Venue: The North Hall, All Saints Rectory, North Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AQDate: Monday 20th OctoberTime: 7:30 pm – 8:45 pm, Refreshments served at 7:30pm.Entrance: Inklight members £2, non members £3. I’ll be reading from the manuscript for The Ambulance Box. Not the first time…
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Busy busy busy at the moment here. It’s good busy, though. I’ve proofed my proofs, sent ’em back and had author photos taken for the book (of which more in due course); I’m gearing up for Linlithgow Book Festival and this month’s various readings; and I’m working on a Scots language writing project in the…
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Fantastic news: my friend, fellow HappenStancer and fine poetry blogger Rob A Mackenzie has had his manuscript accepted by Salt to be published some time next year. The book (provisionally entitled The Opposite of Cabbage after a line in one of the poems–can’t accuse him of having a dull title!), is really strong and will…
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I was saddened to hear yesterday that the poet, publisher, critic, designer and typographer Duncan Glen had died. He was not someone I knew well, although I did meet him once or twice. My contact with him came through the Scottish Poetry Library, with which he was closely involved. Indeed, he designed many SPL publications,…
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Another significant moment here: first proofs arrived in my inbox from Chris at Salt! I spotted them on my webmail while I was still at work and it’s a wonder none of my colleagues asked why the mile-wide grin and slight strut down the scuffed wooden walkway at the centre of the office. But then,…
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The first issue of the new Salt webzine Horizon Review, edited by Jane Holland, is now online. It includes one poem of mine, “On Your Arrival“, as well as two poems by Rob Mackenzie, and work by Katy Evans-Bush, George Szirtes and Alison Brackenbury to name only a few. There are also fiction, reviews and…
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Just last week, I came across Claire Askew‘s new blog, One Night Stanzas, designed to guide young or inexperienced writers through some of the thornier thickets of life as a poet. It’s a useful site with lots of good advice (and stylish photographs!) worth a look even for those of us with a modicum of…
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In common with many in the poetry blogosphere, I was shocked and sadened to read that the American poet, critic and blogger Reginald Shepherd died this week, aged only 45. The news came to me through Ron Silliman‘s blog, which is fitting, as it was a link from a post of his that first took…
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this is the arm that held youthis is the hand that cradled your cold feet these are the ears that heard youwhimper and cough throughout your brush with light this is the chest that warmed youthese are the eyes that caught your glimpse of life this is the man you fathered—his voided love, his writhen…
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Here is the full information for my reading tomorrow at the Four Hour Festival: Venue: Evolution Cafe, Evolution House. This is the entrance to eca on the West Port. It’s a big glass building right on the corner of the crossroads, apparently. Time: I’m on at 3pm. The event starts at 1pm with Shore Poet…
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The new PBS Bulletin and choice arrived today. I can’t let this pass without noting that Katy Evans-Bush (aka Ms Baroque) is the first Salt poet to have her first collection mentioned in the Bulletin. (Curiously, her book’s cover isn’t shown.) Big congratulations to Katy! Next quarter, Tim Dooley goes one better by being the…
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Here’s all I have to say about this story: The Pax can belt a Mac at NightxxMiscaw wir Bard and aw thatBut critic’s care’s abuin his might;xxGuid faith, he mauna faw that!For aw that and aw that,xxHis sarky sneers and aw that,The pith o sense and pride o worthxxAre higher ranks than aw that. Meanwhile,…
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To the Book Festival yesterday for a reading by three Lithuanian poets: Eugenijus Alisanka, Gintaras Grajauskas and Sigitas Parulskis, representing one half of the anthology Six Lithuanian Poets. It was a fairly small audience, not even filling up the smallest of the festival’s performance tents. A pity, really, because the absentees missed themselves: it was…
Amy Jo Philip 